——Mr.Abdellah Sallou – MoroccoEnglsih.com ——————–
Instead of talking about school success, we focus on a successful school. Most educators have been intensely working and discussing the case of school system in Morocco, knowing that the depression has prevailed in this sector. Both intellectual and common people are aware of it; It concerns not only the learners, but also educators and parents. Agents in the Ministry of Education, experts, and authorities have consumed enough to get out of this depression and seek for solutions through a process of reformation. However the outcomes are usually unsatisfactory, so five Ingredients should be Implemented and taken into account in order to establish a successful school.
First, leadership is one. Three agents, school staff, teachers, and parents, have to exercise a relentless power over the learner. In early seventies we had teachers with less training and pedagogical knowledge. Fortunately, students were successful and their level was brilliant. This was, in fact due to leadership; school staff was not authoritarian, but authoritative. That authority was very effective. Nowadays, the Ministry of Education has opened the centers for training; a big numbers of teachers have witnessed effective training in CPR and the ENS, they have improved their methods and techniques. However, excessive complaints have been made about the school system.
Second, high quality teaching is required. As it is said above teachers have acquired good quality due to broad knowledge of subject matters, curriculum, standards, and classroom management techniques. But the teacher is the only “digger” and “builder”, the only one who assumes a responsibility to load the learner with social skills to face challenges and difficulties of life. This heavy task of teachers should be rewarded and prized.
Third, commitment to rigor and excellence is crucial. Teacher is not the only one who bears this responsibility. Everyone should adopt the intention of this commitment; the headmaster and his supporters have to put hand in hand to achieve educational goals. Besides, parents have to contribute to bringing up their children and guide them to behave appropriately. Therefore a serious job is the duty of everyone in the field.
Fourth, the success of school depends on children’s mastering of the basics. We used in the past to master the basics of Maths (calculation), language rules in Arabic and French, reading and writing skills in primary school. Similarly, students today should not pass if they do not master these basics. Reading and writing effectively are of crucial importance. They are the backbone of other skills and subject matters.
Fifth, ability and background should be seized and taken into account in the classroom. Psychological studies offer an amount of knowledge that can help teacher to understand students’ likes and dislikes. Moreover, he may use his insight to explore each learner’s inclination. A learner is not expected to be perfect in all disciplines. If he is weak in a subject matter, the teacher’s role is to work out and figure out the appropriate solutions. Students’ weaknesses may depend on the family background; when members of such a family – brother and sisters – create an atmosphere of educational activities at home like reading, writing, drawing, and so on , this atmosphere helps children not only nourish their mind, but form their readiness to learn as well. On the other hand, if members of a family are busy doing nothing at home, they may face difficulties, they will lag behind the others in the classroom.
Mastering basics like rules, vocabulary, calculation, and reading skills should be maintained in primary school. If not the learner will face syllabi and school programs beyond his level. This is in fact what is going on in our schools. Thus, his or her work will doom to failure.
I would like to go back to the high quality teaching; creativity and teacher’s efforts will be fruitful. The teacher has to implement effective techniques in teaching vocabulary and reading skills. In this context, I will provide a number of tasks that enable teachers to apply in their teaching vocabulary. Also I will mention some reading strategies.
Learning how to learn and organize vocabulary Items:
Teachers have to encourage students select and organize their vocabulary. The main difficulty that faces learners is to find and use the appropriate word while speaking or writing. Very often when my students are given an assignment or a paragraph to write, they pick up their pen and stir it in their mouth. Some of them go back to their copybook to look up words from their draft paper at the back of their notebook. They jot down words randomly; therefore, they find it more difficult to internalize them. My role as a teacher, I should raise students’ awareness to the different methods of learning and organizing vocabulary Items.
Task 1
Teachers can observe how students pick up their vocabulary and discuss with them how important to organize their words. While discussing teachers put down their responses and check the effective ones.
1. When I read something In English, I write down every word I don’t know and look it up in a dictionary.
2. I don’t try to learn every word I meet. I learn the words that are most useful to me.
3. I write a new word in a sentence on a card. On the back of the card I write the translation of the word, the definition, a synonym, an antonym or an example. Then I use the translation to test myself regularly.
4. I write new words in a list and write the translation next to each word.
5. When I meet a word I don’t know, I try to guess it from the context.
6. I never use an English _ English dictionary. I always use a bilingual one. It’s much easier.
7. I put words into topic groups when I write them down. For example, words linked to travel, entertainment, work, and so on.
8. I don’t write down vocabulary, but I read a lot and learn new words.
9. I write words in a vocabulary notebook. I carry it around with me in my pocket, and I try to learn or 10 words.
……………….. To be continued …………………
